Many valuable items, such as jewelry, are displayed for sale in retail establishments in display cases having at least one glass face. These display cases are usually elevated off the floor by a support structure. These display cases are fully enclosed and usually kept locked since the retailers want to limit access to the valuable items to prevent shoplifting, breakage, etc. The glass faces are provided, of course, so that customers can view the jewelry or other valuable items in the display cases.
As stated, these elevated display cases have at least one glass face. Frequently, such display cases have two or more glass faces so that the items being displayed can be viewed at different angles and to let a maximum amount of light into the display cases. Since these display cases are usually locked, when a customer wants to handle a particular item, he or she must summon a clerk at the store who, using a key, opens the display case and removes the item for the customer's viewing.
Thus, it is clear that display cases having glass faces are vital to the sale of valuable items such as jewelry. These items must be kept in a locked cabinet to prevent shoplifting an damage due to mishandling, yet the items must be visible to consumers.
However, use of glass-faced display cases presents a problem during times when the establishment is closed. This problem develops when the valuable items are left in the display cases overnight. This is often done, due to the lack of storage space for the valuable items other than the display cases and due to the time involved in removing all the valuable items from the display cases each and every night at closing and then repositioning the items in an aesthetically pleasing display each and every morning when the retail establishment reopens.
Thieves have learned to take advantage of situations when valuable items are left in glass display cases overnight.
In fact, a special "plan" of burglary has developed taking advantage of these glass-faced display cases. This "plan" is as follows. The burglars, who usually work in at least teams of two, first break into the establishment. One burglar proceeds to smash all of the glass faces of the display cases. The other burglar then follows behind and removes the items from the display cases. This type of burglary is often called a "three minute robbery" since the burglary, once entry is gained into the retail establishment, can be completed in only three minutes.
Due to the increasing frequency of these burglaries, there has arisen a need to deter this type of crime. Conventional burglar alarms are not sufficient since these burglaries are conducted so fast that the burglars escape before the police or security personnel have time to respond to the alarm. Thus, there is a need to protect the glass display cases so that the glass faces cannot be quickly and easily shattered. The longer it takes burglars to break into the glass display cases, the greater the deterent to this type of crime, as it gives police and security personnel more time to respond to the burglar alarm.
Attempts have been made to provide protective means for display cases or similar structures. A first type of the devices which has been developed includes screen members which can be pulled down over the display cases or similar structures to protect the goods therein. Examples of such screen members are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 917,705 issued to Benjamin on Apr. 6, 1909, 2,515,466 issued to Nahmens on July 18, 1950, 3,116,097 issued to Novales on Dec. 31, 1963, 3,241,899 issued to Donker on Mar. 22, 1966 and 4,345,635 issued to Solomon on Aug. 24, 1982.
However, these screen members have many disadvantages. First, the screen housing is always positioned adjacent the glass face or other opening being closed by the screen, even when the screen member is not being employed. This is not aesthetically pleasing, especially in environments such as jewelry display cases. Moreover, if the display case has multiple glass faces, a single screen cannot cover the multiple faces. Multiple screen members and housings must be employed, which render the devices even more undesirable. Further, it is often possible to pry or lift the edges of the screen member away from the opening being closed to gain access to the opening.
Another type of protective covers which has been developed to protect table tops, display cases, etc. are covers which are permanently affixed to the item being protected. These covers are rotatably attached to the item being protected so that when the covers are not in use, they are rotated away from the protected surface or area. Examples of this type of protective covers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,920,882 issued to Pellow on Aug. 1, 1933, 2,589,699 issued to Johnson on Mar. 18, 1952, 2,677,588 issued to Couse on May 4, 1954, . 2,943,901 issued to Eaton et al on July 5, 1960, . 4,011,943 issued to Galli et al on Mar. 15, 1977, 4,285,558 issued to Medford on Aug. 25, 1981 and 4,605,267 issued to Rinkewich on Aug. 12, 1986.
While these fixed protective covers have utility in many environments, they cannot be employed to protect display cases for jewelry or other valuable items. This is because the fixed covers are always attached to the item being protected, even when not in use. This would be aesthetically displeasing to customers. In addition, such covers would get in the way and thus hinder sales personnel when the sales personnel attempt to show customers individual items of the protected goods. Moreover, often such display cases are "stand alone" items. Use of these fixed covers would prevent free movement around these display cases.
In addition, foldable table top enclosures have been developed, as have collapsible display cases. Examples of these devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,255,407 issued to Goetz on Feb. 5, 1918, 3,120,076 issued to Zuch on Feb. 4, 1964, 3,434,769 issued to Salet on Mar. 25, 1969 and 4,128,285 issued to Lore et al on Dec. 5, 1978.
These devices have the disadvantage that they are not adaptable to a display case having a plurality of glass faces. The collapsible enclosures only protect the top face of a desk or a table top. They do not protect any other faces of the desk or table, such as side and front faces. As discussed above, many display cases have side and front glass faces. These faces need to be protected the same as the top faces. Furthermore, the foldable display cases have glass faces and thus have the same problem as the fixed display cases with glass faces.
Therefore, it is clear that there is still a need in the art for a protective cover for display cases having multiple glass faces. This invention fulfills this need in the art, as well as other needs which will become apparent to those skilled in the art once given this disclosure.